1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding rolled paper which feeds the rolled paper in a predetermined manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a feeding apparatus for feeding rolled paper, there has been one disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3004160, for example. The apparatus disclosed in the publication comprises rolled paper, a feed mechanism for feeding the rolled paper in a predetermined direction and a cutting unit for cutting the paper pulled out of the rolled paper. The cutting unit has a fixed cutter and a movable cutter which is moved in relation to the fixed cutter. The movable cutter cuts the paper existing between them by moving from a non-cutting position to a cutting position.
This apparatus for feeding rolled paper is arranged so as to actuate the cutting unit and the feed mechanism by a common driving source. A first gear train is interposed between the driving source and the feed mechanism and a second gear train is interposed between the driving source and the cutting unit. In feeding the rolled paper, while the first gear train is held in a driving connection state, the second gear train is held in a driving connection release state. Thereby, driving force from the driving source is transmitted to the feed mechanism via the first gear train and the feed mechanism works on the rolled paper to feed it in a predetermined direction. In cutting the rolled paper, while the second gear train is held in a driving connection state, the first gear train is held in a driving connection rerlease state. Thereby, the driving force from the driving source is transmitted to the cutting unit and the movable cutter of the cutting unit moves from the non-cutting position to the cutting position.
Such an apparatus for feeding rolled paper has been required to pull in the tip end portion of the paper from the cutting position in the direction opposite to the feed direction when the movable cutter moves from the cutting position to the non-cutting position after cutting the paper. Otherwise, there has been a problem that the tip end portion of the paper hits with the movable cutter when the movable cutter returns, damaging the tip end of the paper or causing abnormal sound.
In order to eliminate the above-mentioned problem, a reverse mode of the cutter has been provided in addition to a normal mode of the cutter in the above-mentioned known feeding apparatus. In the normal mode of the cutter, the driving source is driven and rotated in the predetermined direction. Thereby, the movable cutter moves from the non-cutting position to the cutting position while holding the first gear train in the driving connection release state. In the reverse mode of the cutter on the other hand, the driving source is driven and rotated in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction. Thereby, the first gear train is put in the driving connection stat e and the movable cutter is returned from the cutting position to the non-cutting position. At this time, the feed mechanism is driven in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction.
However, the above -mentioned prior art feeding apparatus described above has had a problem to be solved. That is, because the normal mode of the cutter is performed and then the reverse mode of the cutter is performed in cutting the paper, it has been difficult to pull in the tip end of the rolled paper at high precision in connection with the move of the movable cutter and there has been a possibility that the tip end of the paper works on the movable cutter returning to the non-cutting position. Although such a problem might be eliminated by providing a sensor for detecting the cutting operation of the cutter, there has been a problem that the production cost increases when such a sensor is provided. Further, it has taken a long processing time for switching from the normal mode of the cutter to the reverse mode of the cutter and there has been a possibility that a communication failure occurs when such an apparatus for feeding rolled paper is applied to a facsimile, for example.